Cannella Legislation to Strengthen Revenge Porn Law Passed By Legislature

Legislation by State Senator Anthony Cannella (R-Ceres) to expand the scope of the law to combat “revenge porn” today passed the Legislature and is headed to Governor Jerry Brown for signature. SB 1255 modifies the current law to include what is commonly known as a “selfie,” an image someone takes of themselves. The bill passed both the Senate and Assembly on unanimous votes.

“I am pleased that the Legislature has recognized the need to strengthen our law combatting revenge porn. By including selfies, we will provide even greater protections to victims,” said Senator Cannella. ”As technology evolves, it is important that government act to protect our citizens from new types of crime, such as revenge porn. SB 1255 builds on last year’s law to ensure it is outlawed in its entirety.”

Last year, Cannella’s SB 255 was signed by Governor Brown, making the act a misdemeanor. The Revenge Porn 2.0 Act will expand the law to protect a greater number of victims. The Cyber Civil Rights Initiative (CCRI) estimates that more than half of revenge porn cases involve selfies. SB 1255 extends current law to outlaw the distribution of revenge porn regardless of who created the image.